Propionic acid affects immune status and metabolism in adipose tissue from overweight subjects

• Published in: European journal of clinical investigation Vol. 42; no. 4; pp. 357 - 364
• Main Authors: Al-Lahham, Sa'ad, Roelofsen, Han, Rezaee, Farhad, Weening, Desiree, Hoek, Annemieke, Vonk, Roel, Venema, Koen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2012; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: Adipocytes; Adipose tissue; Adipose Tissue - drug effects; Adipose Tissue - immunology; Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Body weight; Cells, Cultured - metabolism; Chemokines; Colon; Cytokines; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - metabolism; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Dietary fiber; dietary fibre; Diseases of the digestive system; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Explants; Fatty acids; Female; Fermentation; Gene expression; General aspects; Glucose; Glucose Transporter Type 4 - metabolism; Humans; Immune status; Inflammation; Lipogenesis; Lipopolysaccharides; Lipoprotein lipase; Lipoprotein Lipase - metabolism; Macrophages; Macrophages - immunology; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Metabolism; Monocytes; Obesity; Omentum - metabolism; Overweight - immunology; Polymerase chain reaction; Propionates - pharmacology; Propionic acid; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; short-chain fatty acids; Surgery; Tumor necrosis factor- alpha; Human; Short chain; Adipose tissue; Nutrition; Propionic acid; Body weight; Lipids; Corporal biometry; Inflammation; Metabolism; Fatty acids; Immunity; Feeding; Overweight; Medicine; Diet therapy; Diet; dietary fibre; short-chain fatty acids; Food
• ISSN: 0014-2972; 1365-2362; 1365-2362
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.2011.02590.x

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (4): 357–364 Background  Adipose tissue is a primary site of obesity‐induced inflammation, which is emerging as an important contributor to obesity‐related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Dietary fibre consumption appears to be protective. Short‐chain fatty acids, e.g. propionic acid, are the principal products of the colonic fermentation of dietary fibre and may have beneficial effects on adipose tissue inflammation. Materials and methods  Human omental adipose tissue explants were obtained from overweight (mean BMI 28·8) gynaecological patients who underwent surgery. Explants were incubated for 24 h with propionic acid. Human THP‐1 monocytic cells were differentiated to macrophages and incubated with LPS in the presence and absence of propionic acid. Cytokine and chemokine production were determined by multiplex‐ELISA, and mRNA expression of metabolic and macrophages genes was determined by RT‐PCR. Results  Treatment of adipose tissue explants with propionic acid results in a significant down‐regulation of several inflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as TNF‐α and CCL5. In addition, expression of lipoprotein lipase and GLUT4, associated with lipogenesis and glucose uptake, respectively, increased. Similar effects on cytokine and chemokine production by macrophages were observed. Conclusion  We show that propionic acid, normally produced in the colon, may have a direct beneficial effect on visceral adipose tissue, reducing obesity‐associated inflammation and increasing lipogenesis and glucose uptake. Effects on adipose tissue as a whole are at least partially explained by effects on macrophages but likely also adipocytes are involved. This suggests that, in vivo, propionic acid and dietary fibres may have potential in preventing obesity‐related inflammation and associated diseases.